So Fix it

A newly rebuilt engine is often an extensive, time consuming project. To make sure your vehicle operates to its maximum capacity, you cannot fail to treat the new engine with care. Making sure all connections are secure and functioning is crucial in the early health of the rebuilt motor. Failing to treat the engine with proper care during the first few months of use will cause damage and may lead to yet another engine to be installed quicker than you might think.

Instructions

1

Inspect the engine compartment one final time before starting the vehicle. You should look for loose hose connections as well as loose electrical connections. Search for any tools or bolts left under the hood as well. Check all fluid levels once more to ensure the newly rebuilt motor does not become damaged upon its first use.

2

Ask your assistant to ignite the engine and hold down the accelerator so it is between 1,200 to 1,500 rounds per minute (rpm) for the first 20 minutes. Watch for possible leaks around the motor and under the car. Look for any other potential problems around the engine and any of its adjoining systems as well. This includes the engine oil pan and coolant and fuel hoses.

3

Check the motor belts to ensure they are both tight and fully operational. The belts should be snug and not loose from their wheels. Allow the engine to run for three minutes if their is unnatural noise coming from it in order to let oil reach and circulate throughout the engine. Have your assistant watch the oil pressure gauge. If the noise persists, shut the engine down and ensure the oil pump is functioning correctly.

4

Allow the engine to run at regular idle speed following the first 20 minutes of testing. After the oil has circulated and noises have ended, set the engine timing if possible. Do this by shutting down the engine and loosening the distributor enough to rotate it manually. Connect a timing light tool as directed by the manufacturers instructions. Follow the steps on the tune-up label found in the engine section of the vehicles service manual to set the timing.

5

Test the vehicle on a road that is free from heavy traffic. Adjust your speed up to 40 miles per hour (mph) and release the accelerator. Allow the vehicle to coast down to around 15 mph and then again accelerate to 40 mph. Repeat this multiple times to assist the new piston rings in sealing properly. Check the engine for leaks or disconnections again after the vehicle is stopped.

Removing leaf springs from a truck or car is a major job and can be very dangerous. Unless the frame of the vehicle is securely jacked up, the whole vehicle can fall, potentially crushing anyone underneath. The process requires three jacks and you should use the heaviest jacks possible, particularly if you are working on a truck or SUV.

Instructions

1

Park your vehicle on level ground and chock the front wheels with wood or metal chocks.

2

Place a floor jack under the rear axle and raise the vehicle as high as necessary.

3

Place jack stands under both sides of the frame, supporting it firmly.

4

Remove the rear tires, lower the floor jack and leave the car suspended on the jack stands.

5

Raise the floor jack again until it just touches the axle. Remove the U-bolts and lower the floor jack again, allowing the leaf springs to separate from the axle.

6

Raise the floor jack again after the leaf springs and tires have been replaced. Remove the jack stands, then lower the floor jack.

The first automobiles produced did not offer automatic transmission. Using a clutch, drivers had to manually shift gears to operate the vehicle. As cars grew bigger and more people acquired them, an "automatic" transmission became the focus of future vehicles. Transmissions, whether automatic or manual, are made up of many parts, including several gears. Manual transmissions use needle bearings to help mount the different parts. Both transmissions work differently.

Torque Converter

In an automatic transmission, the torque converter takes the place of the clutch in a manual transmission. A torque converters purpose is to increase the turning power that the engine provides. This is completed by the rest of the parts in a transmission.

Pump and Turbine

The engine and transmission never physically touch. It works by hydraulic coupling, in which the transmission fluid is caught by blades of a fan, causing them to spin. The impeller, or pump, and the turbine are these blades. Once one fan starts spinning, the other spins. Powered by the centrifugal force, the transmission fluid moves to the outside of the blades and is sent back to the turbine side through the third fan, the stator. Steady transmission fluid flow causes the engines turning power to multiply.

Planetary Gear Set

In an automatic transmission, there is a planetary gear set. The planetary gear set was designed after the model of our solar system, hence the name. It is made up of different sized gears that are circular in shape and revolve around a "sun gear" which is the central gear. Planetary gear sets differ by type of transmission, but as of 2010, the basic design has not been changed for nearly a century.

Clutch Pack and Transmission Bands

Some vehicles use multiple clutch disc systems, which consist of discs placed between steel plates. The clutch contains one piston and return springs. When the clutch pack is under pressure due to the transmission fluid, the piston locks the assembly together, and when the car is not in gear, the piston disengages. Sometimes a transmission band, a metal ring designed for flexibility, is used instead of the clutch pack. The band sits around the clutch. Engaging the gears requires the band to tighten and loosen to disengage.

Output Shaft

The output shaft connects the transmission to the wheels. The output shaft is attached to the axles in a number of ways, which allows the transmission to turn the shaft and ultimately spin the axles.

Manual Input Shaft

In a manual transmission, the input shaft is mounted in a gearbox at the front. This box is very durable. The front end of the input shaft slides perfectly into the clutch disc. The rear end of the input shaft fits the drive gear at the end of the layshaft.

Layshaft

The layshaft, also known as the cluster gear, is a single unit consisting of the number of gears that the transmission has (three-speed, four-speed, five-speed or six-speed) and often times, a gear for reverse.

Central Shaft

The central shaft runs inside of the layshaft. Needle bearings are used to mount the layshaft. The input shaft creates the power and sends it through the layshaft. From the layshaft, the power is sent to each gear, controlled by the shifter of the vehicle and to the output shaft.

Output Shaft

The output shaft is located at the back end of the gearbox with needle bearings. After the vehicle is shifted, the output shaft then goes into the drive shaft to get the car rolling.

Synchronizer

A ring with teeth on the outside of it sits beside the gear. When the driver chooses a gear, the shift hub does the work and the teeth lock itself into the gear. This combination drives the output shaft.

Nearly each vehicle being produced today comes equipped with automatic power windows. Wires, a switch and motor are the basic components found in auto window systems. However, there are still a variety of different roll-up styles used to raise and lower the windows in automobiles.

Scissor Roll-Up

Some vehicles have power windows with a scissor linkage that has a cranking device which allows windows to be raised and lowered. This type of roll-up system is prone to issues with rust. It can be jammed, preventing the window from going up and down.

Plastic Roll-Up

Either a plastic strip or a plastic chain is used to raise and lower the windows in some power window systems. Cold weather can affect these types of systems as the plastic drive in the window becomes weak and breaks, preventing the window from moving. The plastic strip can be replaced to counter this issue.

Steel Roll-Up

Steel cable is used in some auto window systems to raise and lower the vehicles windows. Although made of steel, cables are known to break in these types of systems as well. When windows fail to roll up in steel cable systems, it is often due to the window being off track within the vehicles door.

The Nissan D21 is a light-weight pickup truck that was manufactured in the late 90s. The D21 was available with an optional rear cab to extend the seating from three to five. The drivers and passengers seats have removable headrests, which protect the occupants from whiplash in the event of a collision. The headrest protects vehicle occupants by not allowing the head to completely rotate backwards after an impact.

Instructions

1

Slide your finger under the left side of the headrest to locate the button at the headrests base.

2

Press in the button on the base of the headrest.

3

Pull up on the headrest, while holding in the button, to remove the headrest. Repeat the previous steps to remove the other front seat headrest.

The 1993 Cutlass Supreme is a four-door sedan equipped with a 3.1-liter, six-cylinder engine. If your Cutlass Supreme does not start when the engine is warm, it probably is overheating. An overheated engine can be caused by not enough coolant in the system or by a leak in the cooling system. You can troubleshoot this problem yourself and save money by fixing it in your driveway or garage.

Instructions

1

Turn on the ignition so the instrument panel illuminates but do not start the engine. Note that the needle is in the "Red" area of the temperature gauge, if the engine has overheated.

2

Open the hood and locate the coolant tank, which is on the left side of the engine compartment. Remove the tank cap by turning it counterclockwise.

3

Pour 50-50 coolant through a funnel into the tank until you reach the fill line on the side of the tank.

4

Look under your car for leaks from the cooling system. If you find any leaks, have the car towed to a service shop to patch the leak. Driving your car while coolant is leaking could cause further damage to the engine.

When Toyota vehicles with five-speed transmissions are headed for the junkyard, owners can save money by replacing their cars engine. Engine manufacturers call the process "vehicle repowering" and owners add years to the life of the vehicle when they opt for repowering over individual engine repairs. Some automotive shops specialize in acquiring replacement Toyota engines from domestic and international locations. The kits come with all the equipment needed to bolt the engine onto the vehicle.

1990 to 1993 Celica

The Celica GT-fourth generation 5/all-trac 3S-grand turismo turbo engine is the all-wheel drive, five-speed transmission engine for Celicas manufactured between 1990 and 1993. The four-cylinder, 16-valve engine produced by Toyota weighs 600 lbs. with 225 horsepower at 6000 rpm. The engine produces 200 ft.-lbs. of torque at 3200 rpm. Redline levels occur at 8000 rpm. JDM Engine Depot supplies the engine for a suggested retail price of $1,099 (as of 2011). Engine heads, a power steering pump and all-wheel drive manual transmission are included with the engine.

1986 to 1989 Celica

Five-speed-transmission Celica vehicles manufactured between 1986 and 1989 are compatible with the Celica grand turismo-fourth generation 4/all-trac 3S-grand turismo turbo engine. The four-cylinder, all-wheel drive, 16-valve engine manufactured by Toyota weighs 600 lbs. The unit is capable of 190 horsepower at 6000 rpm and 190 ft.-lbs. of torque at 3200 rpm. Redline levels occur at 8000 rpm. The engine is available through JDM Engine Depot at a suggested retail price of $999 (as of 2011). Complete engine heads, flywheels, a wiring harness and an all-wheel-drive manual transmission are included with the engine.

1994 to 1999 MR2

The MR2 third-generation 3S-grand turismo turbo engine is compatible with the MR2 rear-wheel drive sports car manufactured by Toyota between 1994 and 1999. The four-cylinder, 16-valve engine is capable of 225 horsepower at 6000 rpm and 200 ft.-lbs. of torque at 3200 rpm. Redline levels occur at 8000 rpm. Total weight of the all-wheel drive, five-speed transmission engine is 600 lbs. JDM Engine Depot provides the engine at a suggested retail price of $1,999 (as of 2011). Engine heads, a non-limited slip differential transmission and fuel rails are included with the engine.

1991 to 1993 MR2

The MR2 3S-grand turismo turbo engine is compatible with second generation MR2 front-wheel drive sports cars manufactured by Toyota between 1991 and 1993. The four-cylinder, 16-valve engine is capable of 220 horsepower at 6000 rpm and 200 ft.-lbs. of torque at 3000 rpm. Redline levels occur at 8000 rpm. Total weight of the five-speed transmission engine is 600 lbs. JDM Engine Depot supplies the engine at a suggested retail price of $1,749 (as of 2011). The engine kit includes complete heads, sensors and distributor.

Car batteries often drain or die for any number of reasons, whether its simply because the battery is old or because you accidentally left the headlights on overnight. When the battery does drain, a battery charger can prove an invaluable piece of equipment. There is a broad array of chargers on the market, each with an assortment of features and for varying prices. Most battery chargers, however, can be hooked up to a battery using the same technique.

Instructions

1

Access the battery. If the battery is still in the vehicle, remove any guards protecting the terminals. You may need a screwdriver or small wrench to remove these guards. If the battery is out of the vehicle, simply place it on a sturdy work bench or table.

2

Place the positive clamp on the charger onto the positive post of the battery. Positive clamps and battery terminals are typically marked with the color red and a plus (+) symbol. Negative clamps and terminals are marked with black and a minus (-) symbol. If the battery remains in the vehicle, attach the negative charger clamp to a non-painted metal bracket or bolt. If the battery has been removed from the vehicle, attach the negative charger clamp directly onto the negative battery post.

3

Check the volt and amp settings on the charger. Some chargers will allow you to adjust for voltage and amperage. For a car battery, you want to make sure the charger is set to 12 volts. As for amperage, the lower the amps, the longer it will take to charge the battery. Use a low-amp setting to fully recharge the battery. If you want to start the vehicle immediately, use a high-amp setting.

4

Plug the battery chargers power cord into an electrical outlet and allow the battery to charge. Again, the exact time needed to charge the battery will depend on the chargers settings and how severely the battery has been drained. Most chargers will have an indicator light or gauge that will let you know when the battery has received a full charge. If you have an automatic charger, it should shut off once the battery is charged.

5

Turn the chargers power switch off after the battery has been fully charged. Then unplug the charger and disconnect the clamps from the battery. Remove the negative clamp first, followed by the positive clamp.